AUDIO AMPLIFIER PERFORMANCE WHILE MAINTAINING USB COMPLIANCE AND POWER DOWN PROTECTION
Granted: June 26, 2014
Application Number:
20140177876
An apparatus comprises a first audio amplifier circuit configured to provide an analog audio signal and an analog switch circuit including a first input configured to receive the analog audio signal, a second input configured to receive a first digital data signal, and a first output configured to provide one of the digital data signal or the analog audio signal. The apparatus also includes a first feedback circuit coupled to the first audio amplifier circuit and the analog switch…
DC/DC Converter with Shunt Circuitry
Granted: June 19, 2014
Application Number:
20140167710
The present disclosure provides, in one embodiment, a method of shunting a power supply to reduce output ripple. The method includes determining at least one performance parameter of a DC/DC converter circuit; generating a first reference signal, wherein the first reference signal is based on the performance parameter; comparing the first reference signal to the performance parameter; and generating a shunt current from an input power source to an output node of the DC/DC converter…
SEMICONDUCTOR DIE PACKAGE AND METHOD FOR MAKING THE SAME
Granted: June 19, 2014
Application Number:
20140167238
Semiconductor die packages are disclosed. An exemplary semiconductor die package includes a premolded substrate. The premolded substrate can have a semiconductor die attached to it, and an encapsulating material may be disposed over the semiconductor die.
SECURITY MEASURES FOR DATA PROTECTION
Granted: May 22, 2014
Application Number:
20140143887
This document discusses, among other things, security measures for shielding or protecting data or sensitive signals on an integrated circuit (IC). The systems and methods disclosed herein can allow erasing sensitive data when access is not locked, locking out access to sensitive data during normal operations through both indirect and direct means, and shielding sensitive signals from invasive probing or manipulation.
COMBO ID DETECTION
Granted: May 22, 2014
Application Number:
20140143448
This document discusses, among other things, an identification (ID) detection module configured to identify a first ID code in a first detect period within a first attach period and to identify a second ID code in a second detect period within the first attach period.
WINDOW REFERENCE TRIMMING FOR ACCESSORY DETECTION
Granted: May 22, 2014
Application Number:
20140139281
This document discusses, among other things, a detection circuit configured to receive an output of a window comparator over a range of input values and to measure a difference between first and second thresholds of the window comparator, and a trim circuit configured to adjust at least one of the first or second thresholds using the measured difference between the first and second thresholds.
EFFICIENCY OPTIMIZED DRIVER CIRCUIT
Granted: May 15, 2014
Application Number:
20140132312
Driver circuitry and methods are provided for driving a semiconductor device. The driver circuitry includes a buck converter configured to generate a baseline current, and a capacitor coupled between an output of the buck converter and ground, the capacitor configured to store charge during an off-state of the buck converter and to discharge the stored charge as a peak current during an on-state of the buck converter, wherein the baseline current reaches a current limit prior to the…
HIGH-VOLTAGE BULK DRIVER
Granted: May 15, 2014
Application Number:
20140132311
This application discusses, among other things, apparatus and methods for driving the bulk of a high-voltage transistor using transistors having gates with low-voltage ratings. In an example, a bulk driver can include an output configured to couple to bulk of a high-voltage transistor, a pick circuit configured to couple the output to an input voltage at an input terminal of the high-voltage transistor or an output voltage at the output terminal of the high-voltage transistor when the…
METHODS AND APPARATUS RELATED TO PROTECTION OF A SPEAKER
Granted: May 8, 2014
Application Number:
20140126730
In one general aspect, a method can include calculating, at a calibration temperature of a speaker, a calibration parameter through a coil of the speaker in response to a first test signal, and can include sending a second test signal through the coil of the speaker. The method can also include measuring a parameter through the coil of the speaker based on the second test signal, and calculating a temperature change of the coil of the speaker based on the parameter and based on the…
USE OF PLATE OXIDE LAYERS TO INCREASE BULK OXIDE THICKNESS IN SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES
Granted: May 1, 2014
Application Number:
20140120694
Semiconductor devices and methods for making such devices are described. The semiconductor devices are made by providing a semiconductor substrate with an active region, providing a bulk oxide layer in a non-active portion of the substrate, the bulk oxide layer having a first thickness in a protected area of the device, providing a plate oxide layer over the bulk oxide layer and over the substrate in the active region, forming a gate structure on the active region of the substrate, and…
SUPPLY VOLTAGE INDEPENDENT BANDGAP CIRCUIT
Granted: May 1, 2014
Application Number:
20140117968
This application discusses apparatus and methods for reducing supply voltage induced band gap voltage variation. In an example, a method of compensating a reference voltage current source for supply voltage variation can include providing at least a portion if a reference current for establishing the reference voltage using a first output transistor coupled to the supply voltage, maintaining a constant voltage across the first output transistor using a second output transistor coupled…
Power Switching System with Control Signal Driven Supply Voltage
Granted: May 1, 2014
Application Number:
20140117751
Generally, this disclosure provides systems and methods for a power switching system with a switching control circuit powered by a supply voltage derived from an input control signal. The system may include a power switch configured to electrically couple a device between a battery voltage and a ground, the device to be powered by the battery when the power switch is closed; a control circuit coupled to a gate port of the power switch, the control circuit configured to open and close the…
APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR OPERATING AND SWITCHING A SINGLE CONDUCTOR INTERFACE
Granted: April 24, 2014
Application Number:
20140115344
This application discusses, among other things, communication apparatus and methods, and more particularly, a single conductor or single wire communication scheme. In an example, a method for communicating between a master device and a slave device using a first single conductor can include transmitting a first ping on the first single conductor using a master device, the first single conductor configured to couple the master device to a slave device, receiving a slave ping on the first…
ADAPTIVE RESPONSE TIME ACCELERATION
Granted: April 24, 2014
Application Number:
20140114444
This document discusses among other things, methods and apparatus to conserve energy when providing proximity information. An example apparatus can include an energy emitter configured to emit a first pulse of energy, an energy sensor configured to receive reflected energy from the first pulse of energy, a control circuit including a processor, the processor configured to provide first proximity information of the apparatus with respect to an object using the reflected energy. The…
DATA DURING ANALOG AUDIO
Granted: April 17, 2014
Application Number:
20140105312
This application discusses among other things, apparatus and method for transmitting data with an analog signal without significantly distorting the analog signal. In an example, an apparatus can include an audio channel, a capacitor coupled to a first conductor of the audio channel, the capacitor configured to couple an analog representation of a digital data signal with an analog audio signal on the audio channel, and a frequency modulator configured to receive the digital data signal…
OPERATIONAL AMPLIFIER CIRCUIT AND METHOD IMPLEMENTING THE SAME
Granted: April 17, 2014
Application Number:
20140104003
The disclosure provides an operational amplifier circuit, in which a power supply of an amplifying circuit is coupled to a first voltage clamping circuit, and the first voltage clamping circuit clamps a supply voltage of the amplifying circuit when the supply voltage exceeds a normal-operation allowable voltage of the amplifying circuit. The disclosure also provides a method for implementing the operational amplifier circuit. According to the disclosure, the operational circuit may be…
TRENCH SUPERJUNCTION MOSFET WITH THIN EPI PROCESS
Granted: April 17, 2014
Application Number:
20140103428
Methods for fabricating MOSFET devices with superjunction having high breakdown voltages (>600 volts) with competitively low specific resistance include growing an epitaxial layer of a second conductivity type on a substrate of a first conductivity type, forming a trench in the epitaxial layer, and growing a second epitaxial layer along the sidewalls and bottom of the trench. The second epitaxial layer is doped with a dopant of first conductivity type. MOSFET devices with…
NO POP SWITCH
Granted: April 10, 2014
Application Number:
20140098297
A switch can be configured to receive a first signal at a first input and provide an output signal at an output, depending on a state of the switch. A switch state change can be delayed until an indication of a requested switch state different than a current switch state is received and the first signal reaches a threshold.
WIRELESS MODULE WITH ACTIVE AND PASSIVE COMPONENTS
Granted: March 13, 2014
Application Number:
20140070329
A wireless multichip module has a leadframe structure 10 with potions for receiving flip-chip mounted dies, including an integrated circuit 20 and high and low side mosfets 30, 40 to form a half-bridge circuit encapsulated in molding compound 70. The module is assembled without any bond wires. The module may also carry passive components including an external input capacitor 150 or an internal input capacitor 350.
COMMON DRAIN POWER CLIP FOR BATTERY PACK PROTECTION MOSFET
Granted: March 13, 2014
Application Number:
20140070392
A first embodiment is a common drain+clip 20. It has a conventional drain contact on its bottom surface and is flip chip mounted on a half-etched leadframe 40 which has external source, gate and drain contacts connected to the sources, gate and common drain of the die 20. Common drain clip 50 connects the drain 30 to external contacts between opposite gate contacts. A second embodiment is a direct drain embodiment+heatslug. The device 80 has a top drain contact 36 that extends to the…
